The meeting opened with all board members present in person. After the agenda was adopted, Gillespie moved to table these items on the consent agenda until April:
4.01(Approval of Donations)
4.03 (Approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Rappahannock Area Community Service Board) - This memorandum of understanding would allow for free additional social and mental health services to be provided to students and families afterschool hours in a school based location. This has been tabled by both Twigg and Gillespie since spring 2022.
4.07 (Approval of New Members for the Special Education Advisory Committee) - The approval of new members of the SEAC is customary but not required.
The board members also made a number of student and staff recognitions for awards recieved in the 2022-2023 school year. This included Visual Art and Music Awards, Culinary Awards, Academic and Extracurricular Program Awards, and more.
The action items for the meeting included:
12.01 (Approval of Revisions to School Board Policy DL Payroll Procedures) - The board voted to make all payments monthly at the end of each month, even during November and December.
12.02 (Approval of Revisions to School Board Regulation IIA-R Selection and Review of Instructional Materials and Forms 2 and 3) - Cole first moved to table so a wholesale revision, instead of an incomplete revision, could be presented and adopted. The vote to table failed. The board ultimately voted to add language written in the VA educational code.
12.03 (Approval of Revisions to School Board Policy JN Student Fees, Fines, and Charges) - The board voted to approve adding processing fee charges to transactions.
12.06 (Approval of Purchase of Hardware/Software for Financial/Human Resources System) - The board voted to approve the purchase.
Action items 12.04 and 12.05 were removed from Action Items.
The Unfinished Business/New Business consisted of Coles move to reverse the Superintendents decision to ban 14 books based on VA Code Article 6.18.2-391.0(391.1 Exceptions) which exempts schools and libraries from the law Taylor cited as reason to ban the books. The Unfinished Business/New Business was then cut short by adjournment. Since September 2022 Twigg, and now Phelps, has adjourned school board meeting without allowing for unfinished business though Board members have made multiple requests to discuss unfinished business.
Board of Supervisors Meeting 5/23
This meeting was hosted by 6 present Supervisors, with Mr. Yakabouski present via Zoom. At the beginning, the Board recognized and honored the life of former Spotsylvania County Supervisor, Barry K. Jett, and the work that he has done for the community. After a public comment was made by the Vice Mayor of Fredericksburg, Charlie Frye, Jr. concerning the death of a pedestrian near the city and county line on Dixon St. in April, he made strides to advocate for safe implementation of crosswalks and other infrastructure that will protect our citizens in Spotsylvania and the city of Fredericksburg.
The Board of Supervisors listened to a VDOT presentation concerning reports of ongoing projects across the county, along with proposals to execute future development at request of the Board’s approval. The Board also received a 6-year plan layout from VDOT with proposals to install new projects and voted to approve funding for the following:
Ham’s Ford Crossing, Matt’s River
Rural Trench Widening Project
Andora & Chancellor/Old Plank Roundabouts
The Board received a VRE System Plan presentation on long range transportation, discussing the implementation of a VRE rail service providing daily access to riders commuting from Richmond to Washington, D.C. and Vice-versa. Supervisors did not vote in favor of approving funding to implement this project. The last order of business was a 2024 transportation alternatives presentation, which proposed sidewalk installation near the following landmarks:
Spotswood Furnace Rd. Near Riverbend HS
Salem Church Rd near VCR trail
Lafayette Blvd near Sheetz & city line
Chancellor Park Rd near Chancellor MS
The Board voted to approve funding for the installation of these projects.
